The EPA's ban on R12 production gave rise to a new generation of refrigerants. Now, blended versions of alternative refrigerants are wreaking havoc on vehicle A/C systems and shop equipment.

The windshield of a Lexus sedan hurtles across the hood of the car. All four side windows shatter, producing a shower of tiny glass fragments. Flames engulf the dashboard and sweep the head of the mannequin behind the wheel.

This fire erupted because the Lexus' air-conditioning system was charged with HC-12a, a refrigerant (produced by OZ Technology in Idaho) that contains propane and butane gas. The incident occurred during an event staged by the Palm Beach County Fire Department and the International Association of Arson Investigators, who demonstrated the dangers of replacing high-priced CFC-12 with cheaper, flammable substitutes--and illustrated the importance of using only refrigerants approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The EPA's 1995 ban on R12 production gave rise to an alternative refrigerant market--and to a problem for the automotive service industry. Ten approved substitutes are now available, but problems arise when these refrigerants--and/or Freon--are mixed within an A/C system. Combining refrigerants leads to cooling and operating problems, eliminates the opportunity to recycle any R12 in the system, taints good supplies of R12 already in shop tanks and contaminates recycling/recovery equipment. The substitute HCFC-22, commonly known as R22, causes additional problems because it destroys and leaks past A/C system seals and hoses, sometimes leading to plugged refrigerant circuits, reduced refrigerant flow and damaged components.

These problems are costly, but they are minor compared to the dangers posed by refrigerant alternatives or mixtures that contain flammables such as propane, butane and isobutane. Even more frightening is the fact that such cases of contamination are not rare. Even though the EPA prohibits the use of HC-12a in automobiles, OZ Technology President Gary Lindgren told a television news reporter from Phoenix that more than 5 million vehicle A/C systems operate on the refrigerant.

Overall, industry experts estimate that 3­15 percent of automotive A/C systems are contaminated with combinations of R12, HFC-134a, R22, hydrocarbons, propane, butane and isobutane. Neutronics Inc., an Exton, Pa.-based company that manufacturers refrigerant identifiers, predicts that 10­12 percent of vehicles serviced this summer will be contaminated. And because few automotive professionals or consumers are aware of the problem, that percentage is expected to increase.

But repairers can protect themselves, their equipment and their R12 supply by purchasing an insurance policy in the form of a refrigerant identifier. The equipment, which can cost nearly $2,000, analyzes A/C refrigerants for contaminants. Repairers who don't take this extra step expose themselves--and others--to unnecessary risks.

"In a body shop, there are torches going and sparks flying. If a technician should somehow release refrigerant or one of these flammable substances into the air in the shop and there is an ignition source, [the situation] could be pretty bad," says Paul DeGuiseppi, manager of service training for the Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS). "The next thing that is almost as bad is contaminating the supply or their equipment and possibly damaging the parts on their recycling/recovery equipment. The third thing is they're infecting or continuing to send this contaminated substance into every other car they service with that equipment. The fourth risk is you're going to have a customer who's screaming in your face a couple of days later [because their A/C system is not working properly]."

However, Neutronics estimates that only 10 percent of collision repair and mechanical shops use the equipment. Identifier purchase prices may seem high, but DeGuiseppi points out that the investment is recouped with the first case of contamination.

Recognizing the importance of refrigerant identifiers, Ford Motor Co. issued TSB 98-10-4, which requires technicians to use an identifier before recovering refrigerant from a vehicle. Dealers are permitted to submit 20 minutes of warranty labor time for the procedure. "We cannot more highly stress how important it is to use these things," DeGuiseppi says. "We see that a lot of A/C specialists have the message and are abiding by it, but a lot of shops whose main business is not A/C [are not heeding the warnings]."

Sources of Contamination

Although Neutronics reports that R12 and 134a are mixed more frequently than any other refrigerants, repairers have seen systems contaminated with R12, 134a, R22 and hydrocarbons. The R12 and 134a cases are likely the result of someone topping off an R12 system with 134a--instead of adding high-priced R12 or performing a complete retrofit. According to a MACS newsletter, hydrocarbons in a system indicate that a blend of refrigerants was used. But a dirty recycling/recovery machine is the likely culprit if only 2 to 3 percent of a vehicle's A/C refrigerant is different.

Air is even considered a contaminant because it reduces cooling capability. Termed a non-condensable gas, air can cause higher-than-normal operating pressures, damaging the compressor or causing it to operate noisily, DeGuiseppi says. This problem surfaced with the advent of 134a, says Simon Oulouhojian, president of MACS. "This air situation has developed since the volume of refrigerant has been reduced in the last 10 years," he explains. "Instead of 36, 40 or 48 ounces [of refrigerant], you're down to 32 ounces or less. Anytime you get a lower volume of refrigerant, non-condensables can give you a problem." Fortunately, he adds, you can purge the air from the system, it doesn't ruin recycling/recovery equipment, and it's not a fire hazard.

Technicians must pull all other contaminated refrigerants into junk tanks, using only a recycling/recovery machine dedicated to contaminated substances. The tanks are later destroyed or recycled.

Environmental Intentions

R12 was used in automobiles for more than 30 years, and about 30 million vehicles continue to operate on the discontinued refrigerant, the EPA reports. When the agency banned the production of R12, it also took on the task of approving alternative refrigerants. The EPA analyzes substitutes for their ozone-depleting, global warming, flammability and toxicity characteristics, looking for substances that will be safer for human health and the environment. But the agency does not test the refrigerants. Instead, it relies on information submitted by manufacturers and independent laboratories. The EPA also does not guarantee that the alternative products will work in every automobile or that they are entirely safe.

Because the EPA anticipated that refrigerant contamination could become a problem, it mandated that each refrigerant use a unique set of fittings for vehicle attachment points, service equipment hookups, recycling/recovery equipment and cans of refrigerant. Technicians who retrofit a system are also required to label the vehicle with information about the new refrigerant, the lubrication oil and information about the repair shop. All of these details must replace information about the previous refrigerant.

Despite the EPA's efforts, the cases of A/C system contamination continue to multiply. Joy Hlavacek Mossholder, corporate marketing manager at Neutronics, attributes this to three factors:

* unqualified personnel, such as vehicle owners, attempting to service systems;

* technicians who do not use an identifier unknowingly passing on contaminated refrigerant;

* "quick-buck" artists and bogus refrigerant suppliers targeting unsuspecting consumers.

DeGuiseppi offers an additional reason: Alternate refrigerant manufacturers targeting advertising campaigns to repair shops with a message of "Why would you pay so much for R12 when you can buy our substitute at a fraction of the cost?"

Safety Options

Repairers determined to protect their businesses with refrigerant identifiers can opt for simple "go/no go" models, or select more complex diagnostic models. The simple machines confirm that "yes, this refrigerant is R12" or "no, this system does not contain pure 134a." The diagnostic identifiers specify the type and percentage of each refrigerant in the system.

In addition to the identifiers, one manufacturer sells a machine that will recover all types of contaminated refrigerants. This recovery-only device operates on compressed air and a 12V DC power source (a 110V AC power source increases the threat of explosion if a flammable product is recovered). There are also several devices designed to purge air from the A/C system. When deciding what type and how much equipment to invest in, shop owners should consider the level of contamination in their area and the volume of A/C work their business does.

Business Decision

After repairers purchase an identifier, they must decide how to handle customers whose vehicles are contaminated. Many turn them away, informing the consumer of the problem but explaining that they do not service contaminated systems. But in collision repair, this could mean the difference between winning a repair job or losing it to a competitor.

"Fully equip yourself to perform jobs like this, establish a relationship with a reliable refrigerant reclaimer, and last but not least, charge the vehicle owner accordingly for your efforts," MACS advises in its newsletter. "After all, it's not your fault that someone before you contaminated this A/C system. If your customer wants the system repaired properly and legally, they'll have to incur the expense." Part of this service should include changing the receiver/drier/accumulator.

Properly equipping a shop to handle contaminated refrigerants means dedicating a recycling/recovery machine to the task. This machine must not be used to recover or recycle pure refrigerants. Contaminated refrigerants must also be pulled into a dedicated, standard DOT-certified recovery tank. If the tank is not equipped with a float valve, repairers must ensure that it never exceeds 60 percent of its gross-weight capacity. Contaminated refrigerant will almost never be reusable, but repairers can recycle it if their recycling/recovery machine meets UL Standard 2964 and if the refrigerant is returned to the vehicle from which it was pulled. If a vehicle is part of a fleet, the recycled refrigerant can be used on any vehicle in the fleet.

Those servicing and repairing A/C systems should not allow themselves to be swayed by manufacturers that say they produce "drop-in" refrigerants. The term is used to describe substitute refrigerants that allegedly perform identically to R12, require no system modifications and can be used alone or with R12. The EPA warns that all such claims are false.

"First, charging one refrigerant into a system before extracting the old refrigerant is a violation of the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) use conditions and is, therefore, illegal," the EPA mandates. "Second, certain components may be required by law, such as hoses and compressor shutoff switches. If these components are not present, they must be installed. Third, it is impossible to test a refrigerant in the thousands of air conditioning systems in existence to demonstrate identical performance. In addition, system performance is strongly affected by outside temperature, humidity, driving conditions, etc., and it is impossible to ensure equal performance under all of these conditions."

Once contaminated refrigerants are pulled into a dedicated tank, shop owners must hire a reclamation company to handle disposal. The majority of companies incinerate the contaminated refrigerants, but a few separate them into their chemical components, purify them and then resell the clean substances. The EPA provides a list of reclamation companies on its web site (www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/ 608/reclist.html). Repairers should be aware that some companies accept only mass quantities of refrigerants, so it may be necessary to call a few vendors before finding one that will accept smaller amounts.

While technicians are repairing the system, front-office personnel should explain the problem to the vehicle owner, including how it is being fixed and what type of refrigerant is being put into the vehicle. They should also warn customers that repairs are not guaranteed: The system may be returned to proper operating condition, but the contaminated refrigerant may have caused damage that hasn't yet surfaced.

The customers may be disgruntled to hear that their A/C systems are contaminated, but smart repairers could turn this into an opportunity to promote their businesses and to build a reputation for honest, quality repair work. Conversely, repairers refusing to use an identifier could ignite that Lexus sedan sitting in the repair bay ... and this time it won't be a safety demonstration.

A Host of Alternatives

Refrigerants approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as R12 substitutes include:

1) These are approved subject to fittings, labeling, no drop-in and compressor shut-off switch use conditions.
Although some of these blends contain hydrocarbons, all approved refrigerants are nonflammable.

2) Contains 2% of a lubricant.

3) HCFC-22 content requires the use of barrier hoses.

Source: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Refrigerants prohibited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency include:

Source: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency